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This is a collaborative Koryo Group project with the
British Embassy in Pyongyang, CLSA, Middlesbrough
FC and the Middlesbrough Town Council.

Please contact us for more information:

Tourism
Film
Art
Cultural Exchange

www.koryogroup.com
info@koryogroup.com

No 27 Bei San Li Tun Nan (East Courtyard),
Chaoyang District,
Beijing, China,
100027

Every effort has been made to trace the copyright
of the photographs contained in this book. If we
have breached any copyrights then we sincerely
appologise and ask you to get in touch with us.

DPRK-UK DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS 2000-2010
DPRK-MIDDLESBROUGH FRIENDSHIP 1966-2010

In 2009 the British Embassy in Pyongyang contacted
us to discuss ways of marking 10 years of diplomatic
relations between the UK and the DPRK.

We decided the best way to celebrate this was to find
an activity that was common to both sides…one that
both countries were passionate about and one which
transcended political and social barriers - FOOTBALL!

This book tells the story behind the event that resulted
and the impact it had on the Korean people. We hope
it goes someway to explain why we are looking to
encourage more engagement and cultural projects,
(indeed, to have less cultural exchange between the
DPRK and the outside world would be difficult).

Nicholas Bonner & Hannah Barraclough
KORYO TOURS
www.koryogroup.com

North Korea created the biggest sensation in World Cup history when
they played Italy and beat them 1-0. Most of their matches were played
in the north-eastern UK town of Middlesbrough where local fans got
right behind them and treated them as their own, 2,000 of them even
followed the team to Liverpool when they played another incredible
match vs Portugal.

“It wasn’t that long after the Korean War and there
were people in Teesside who’d fought in that, and
when the Korean team came they were seen as the
enemy, but people really just took them to their
hearts. It helped that they played in red, which was
the Middlesbrough team colour. But it really was
the people themselves, non-stop smiling, and very
friendly and open.”

Dave Allan, Media Manager, Middlesbrough FC

In 1966 North Korea created the greatest shock in
World Cup history yet once their adventure was
over, the plane taking them home could have been
flying to the moon, so completely did they disappear
from view. In 2001, after four years of negotiations,
Nicholas Bonner (Koryo Tours) and Daniel
Gordon (VeryMuchSo Productions) were granted
unprecedented official access to tell the team’s story
for the first time.

The Game of Their Lives is a tale of struggle and
success, the beauty of sport crossing cultural
barriers. It is the story of a team from a Communist
country which arrives in England at the height of
the Cold War and is not only adopted by the local
townspeople of Middlesbrough but also ends up
winning the hearts of the whole country.

The film won several awards including the
Royal Television Society award for Best Sports
Documentary 2002.

“The greatest story never told.”
Ron Gluckman, Asian Wall Street Journal

Ri Chan Myong
No: 1

F ollowing on from the success of the film, the makers took the remaining
members of the ‘66 World Cup squad back to Middlesbrough. This was the
DPRK’s biggest ever cultural event in the west. The players received a standing
ovation at the Middlesbrough Football Stadium and were treated like heroes.

One of sport’s most enduring but least likely love
affairs is being rekindled next month, when the
North Korean team who shocked the 1966 football
World Cup finally return to the English town which
adopted them as its own.

Sept 18 2002 (AFP)

In order to mark 10 years of diplomatic relations between the DPRK
and the UK, Koryo Tours, in conjunction with the British Embassy,
took Middlesbrough FC Ladies to Pyongyang to play two matches
against local Korean teams. Middlesbrough being chosen due to
its historical links with the DPRK. Women’s football is extremely
popular in the DPRK - more so than men’s football and the North
Korean national women’s team ranks 5th in the world. In addition to
the games - which were broadcast nationwide - the team also went
to a local middle school to coach students.

Middlesbrough Women's Football Team in the DPRK Online Booklet - Koryo Tours

Early in the morning on the 16th September, 2010, the squad set off Arriving in Pyongyang it was hard to believe that it was actually
from Middlesbrough for London Heathrow. Their flight, which went real - all the months of preparation fraught with logistical
via Moscow, took them to Beijing where they had less than 24 hrs to and political problems had finally come to fruition - the
rest before their Air Koryo flight to Pyongyang. Middlesbrough FC Ladies were in the DPRK.

Both matches were played on artificial turf at
the April 25th Stadium just outside Pyongyang.
With an estimated crowd of 6,000 at each game
it was an overwhelming experience for the
Boro girls whose largest crowd to date had been
1,000 when they played Arsenal Ladies. At least
the weather was consistent with the UK - light
rain for both matches.

Match 1: 19.09.2010 Middlesbrough FC Ladies 2: 6 April 25th (the military team)

“I’m glad we had this friendly match with the British team today, I
sincerely hope that the football match between our two countries today Kwon Bom Hyang, April 25th FC
will promote the development of football in the future.”

Match 2: 21.09.2010 Middlesbrough FC Ladies 0:5 Galmaegi Women’s FC (provincial team)

“We didn’t come here as a team expecting victory, we just came here as
a friendly team who can put up a good game. All we really wanted to get Ami Bullen, Goalkeeper, Middlesbrough FC Ladies
out of this was friendship. Just to make the two countries closer - what
everybody wants really.”

“I am very happy to
have had the chance
to be here today and
see this great football
match. It demonstrates
the friendship between
our two countries and
I hope in the future
there will be many
more like this.”

Soldier guard at April
25th Stadium

31 32

Greeting the crowd
After both games, the Middlesbrough team ran round the pitch greeting the
crowds who were jostling each other to shake hands with the players. This was
reminiscent of the welcome the ‘66 team received in Middlesbrough.

“We feel famous. The game was amazing, the toughest we have
ever played. And the crowd was unbelievable, smiling and waving.
Even going past on the bus they were the same.”

Nicky Duckling, striker

“The trip is very much about
friendship and is evidence of
football’s power to break down
cultural barriers. It has all come
about thanks to the wonderful
support the people of Middles-
brough and Teesside as a whole
gave the Koreans at the 1966
World Cup.”

Marrie Wieczorek, Manager,
Middlesbrough FC Ladies

Football is not only about winning

The English people took us to their hearts and vice
versa. I learned that football is not only about winning.
Wherever we go playing football can improve diplomatic
relations and promote peace.

Pak Do Ik No: 7 | 2001, The Game of Their Lives

Coaching schoolchildren at Rungra Middle School, Pyongyang

“Even when we went to the
schools with the young children
from the ages of 12 down, they
taught us a thing or two.”

Rachel Hines, Captain,
Middlesbrough
FC Ladies

Pyongyang Boat Restaurant No 1; British Embassy Reception
Pak Do Ik, Ri Chan Myong and Rim Jung Son from the 1966 Word Cup Squad,
British Embassy Staff, Koryo Tours, Middlesbrough FC Ladies, CLSA delegation,
April 25th Women’s FC.

”Meeting the Middlesbrough players here brings
back a really fresh and strong feeling because
when we were playing there, we had some good
results, and a big reason for that was the great
support from the people of Middlesbrough which
gave our players a great spirit.”
Pak Do Ik, ‘66 World Cup squad member

1 Ami Bullen
2 Rachel Hine
3 Clare Helm
4 Abby Freeman
5 Ashleigh Leighton
6 Leanne Hawxwell
7 Kate Foster
8 Abbey Lyle
9 Nicky Duckling
10 Katie Kinlan
11 Lindsay Stephenson
12 Becky Stephenson
14 Shannon Bewick
15 Chelsea Jowers
Manager: Marrie Wieczorek
Assistant Manager: David James
GK Coach: Kris Dixon

The visit of the Middlesbrough FC Ladies
drew huge press attention all over the world,
both before and after the event. This included
the DPRK where the games were broadcast
nationwide (with 100% ratings).

“Since news broke about the venture, Wieczorek has been inundated with
media requests from hundreds of newspapers, TV channels and radio stations
everywhere from Britain to Australia and all points in between.”

Nick Harris, The Independent

Tourism

Films

Art

Publications

Cultural Exchanges

Travel to the DPRK
Since 1993, Koryo Tours has been engaged in travel to the DPRK.
Each year Koryo Tours takes over 50% of the westerners who visit
the country and are advisors to the Lonely Planet, Bradt Guide
and Rough Guide for the DPRK.

We have opened up new destinations in the country
previously off-limits to tourists

Comrade Kim goes Flying (2011)
North Korea’s first romantic feature film shot on
location in Pyongyang with North Korean cast and
crew. The first ever collaboration between a western
and Korean film crew.

Crossing the Line (2006)
Documentary on the US soldiers who defected from South to North Korea in
the 1960’s, one of whom still lives in Pyongyang with his family. Screened at
Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. Made with UK film company VeryMuchSo
Productions. www.crossingthelinefilm.com

A State of Mind (2005)
Documentary following the training and family life of two young girls in
the lead up to the Pyongyang Mass Games Screened in both North and
South Korea. Premiered in the USA at Tribeca Film Festival, nominated for
the Norwegian Peace Film Award and various international awards. Made
with UK film company VeryMuchSo Productions

The Game of Their
Lives (2001)
Documentary on the North
Korean World Cup team of 1966.
Winner of the Royal Television
Society award for best sports
documentary. Received a
nomination for Best Historical
Documentary at the Grierson
Awards, Best Documentary at
the British Independent Film
Awards and won first prize
at the Seville Film Festival .
Made with UK film company
VeryMuchSo Productions.

N icholas Bonner, director of Koryo
Tours possesses one of the most significant
collections of DPRK art outside the country. In
addition to various in-house exhibitions, in
September 2008 his collection of woodblocks
was exhibited at the Korea Society, New
York. In December 2009 he co-curated
the North Korean inclusion in The Asia
Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at
the Queensland Art Gallery in Brisbane.

The Art of DPRK
North Korean Film
Posters (2009)
In-house publication,
collection of film
posters from the DPRK
with explanation of
film plots and themes.

Welcome to Pyongyang (2007)
A photographic study with UK
photographer Charlie Crane which won
the 2007 British Journal of Photography
International Prize.

Koryo Tours arranges friendship football,
ice hockey, cricket and volleyball matches
between locals and westerners.

Koryo Tours is the International co-ordina-
tor for the biennial Pyongyang Internation-
al Film Festival with local audience total of
120,000. In 2004 and 2006 we took in the
films Bend it like Beckham, Mr Bean and
Bride and Prejudice - each film was seen by
over 12,000 locals.

Since 2005, Koryo has organised trips for
international schools to visit schools in
Pyongyang to share lessons and interact
with students.

Koryo Tours would like to thank the April 25th Women’s team
following people for their invaluable and Galmaegi FC for their
help and support during this project - fantastic sportswomenship and
without you none of this would have competition
ever happened:

Raf Wober at APTN and Ned
Kelly for their great coverage of
The staff at the British Embassy,
the team’s activities whilst in
Pyongyang - in particular the
the DPRK
Ambassador, Peter Hughes, for his
tireless campaigning to make the
event happen and 3rd Secretary Dan Gordon and the rest of
Chris Williamson for all his on-the- the team at VeryMuchSo
ground work in the DPRK Productions who helped reignite
the relationship between

A
Explore Worldwide UK for their
Middlesbrough and the DPRK
assistance with the UK-China
CLSA for their generous sponsorship back in 2001 www.verymuchso. nd finally…. The Middlesbrough
flight bookings.
of the event, special thanks to co.uk FC Ladies team for their enthusiasm
Michael Chambers and Ed Jenne and friendliness - you were all excel-
Everyone else who has helped with lent ambassadors for your town and
The DPRK Ministry of Sport and and supported this project, including the UK and the impression you have
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for KITC, Dave Allen, Clare Jenne, Vicky left upon all the Koreans you came into
their hospitality towards the Mohiedeen and all those who came to contact with will be long-lasting.
team in the DPRK watch the two matches in Pyongyang.

In 2012 we plan to take a North
Korean women’s football team on a
friendship tour to Europe.

If you wish to support this project
then please contact Hannah:
hannah@koryogroup.com

DVD comes with booklet

Photo credits: Chris Williamson and Koryo Group

www.koryogroup.com
DVD Edited by: Vicky Mohiedeen
info@koryogroup.com Book design by: Andelie Wang

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Middlesbrough Women's Football Team in the DPRK Online Booklet - Koryo Tours

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